TY - JOUR

T1 - Factor structure of the Friends and Family interview

AU - Psouni, Elia

AU - Breinholst, Sonja

AU - Hoff Esbjørn, Barbara

AU - Steele, Howard

PY - 2020/6

Y1 - 2020/6

N2 - The aim of this study was to specify the latent construct structure of the Friends and Family Interview (FFI: Steele & Steele, 2005) based on its dimensional scale coding protocol. The FFI is a semi-structured interview measuring attachment in middle childhood. We analyzed data from 341 FFI interviews with children aged 7-12 years, recruited in the Scandinavian oresund Region. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a three-component model as best fitting the data. The first component, denoting attachment security, gathered all dimensional scales for evidence of secure base/safe haven regarding mother/father and coherence in the child's narrative style, along with scales regarding reflective functioning, self-perception, and social functioning. The second component comprised preoccupying feelings of anger, but also derogation. The third component gathered all scales coding idealization. Inter-relations among the components were consistent with attachment theory, and respondents' scores for all three components differed significantly across the four categorical attachment classifications. Affect regulation of negative emotion through anger and through derogation co-occurred, and was distinct from regulation through maintaining a belief that things are better than they appear (idealization). These two affect regulation strategies appeared commonly when reflective functioning, and an organized self-perception, and positive peer relations were less in evidence. The multi-dimensional FFI coding system appears to measure successfully these diverse features of the child's narrative provided in response to the interview. Overall, our findings support the construct validity of the FFI and provide further evidence of its usefulness for assessing attachment in middle childhood and early adolescence.

AB - The aim of this study was to specify the latent construct structure of the Friends and Family Interview (FFI: Steele & Steele, 2005) based on its dimensional scale coding protocol. The FFI is a semi-structured interview measuring attachment in middle childhood. We analyzed data from 341 FFI interviews with children aged 7-12 years, recruited in the Scandinavian oresund Region. Exploratory Factor Analysis revealed a three-component model as best fitting the data. The first component, denoting attachment security, gathered all dimensional scales for evidence of secure base/safe haven regarding mother/father and coherence in the child's narrative style, along with scales regarding reflective functioning, self-perception, and social functioning. The second component comprised preoccupying feelings of anger, but also derogation. The third component gathered all scales coding idealization. Inter-relations among the components were consistent with attachment theory, and respondents' scores for all three components differed significantly across the four categorical attachment classifications. Affect regulation of negative emotion through anger and through derogation co-occurred, and was distinct from regulation through maintaining a belief that things are better than they appear (idealization). These two affect regulation strategies appeared commonly when reflective functioning, and an organized self-perception, and positive peer relations were less in evidence. The multi-dimensional FFI coding system appears to measure successfully these diverse features of the child's narrative provided in response to the interview. Overall, our findings support the construct validity of the FFI and provide further evidence of its usefulness for assessing attachment in middle childhood and early adolescence.

KW - Attachment dimensions

KW - Friends and Family Interview

KW - exploratory factor analysis

KW - reflective functioning

KW - middle childhood

KW - PARENT-CHILD ATTACHMENT

KW - MIDDLE CHILDHOOD

KW - JOINT ENGAGEMENT

KW - REPRESENTATIONS

KW - SELF

KW - ANXIETY

KW - ASSOCIATIONS

KW - COMPETENCE

KW - EXPERIENCE

KW - KNOWLEDGE

U2 - 10.1111/sjop.12604

DO - 10.1111/sjop.12604

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 31896167

VL - 61

SP - 460

EP - 469

JO - Scandinavian Journal of Psychology

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Psychology

SN - 0036-5564

IS - 3

ER -